Gone fishing on BBC Radio 4's Inside Science

On BBC Radio 4’s Inside Science I go fishing in Fiji and find out how indigenous knowledge is helping to make plans to protect and restore local sealife.

Accompanied by Abigail Golden from Columbia University, I went out fishing with women from Nagigi village to see what they catch. Yellow-striped goatfish (see picture above) are known as Deou in Fiji and great celebrations take place when they migrate once a year from a little lake just inland of the village and out into the mangrove forests. Sadly we weren’t there at the right time to see the festivities, but our friend Nanisee in Nagigi told us all about it. Ecological knowledge like this is helping to lay down plans for a small protected area being considered for the waters adjacent to the village that will give the local fish stocks a rest.

For my report from Nagigi I chat with locals about their experiences fishing over the years and whether they think a protected area for their village is a good idea.